Tag: 2021 Free Agency

Ladouceur out after 16 seasons, Cowboys replacing with Rams’ 2x Pro Bowler

Dallas is signing long snapper Jake McQuaide, replacing long-timer L.P. Ladouceur. McQuaide has connections to John Fassel with the Rams.

Going into the 2021 offseason, the future of long snapper L.P Ladouceur was unknown. Now 40-years old and going into free agency, his tenure with Dallas reached its conclusion.

During his career, Ladouceur had zero bad snaps and was on pace to break Jason Witten’s franchise record for games played at 255. Now, the Cowboys look forward, working to sign a familiar face to special teams coordinator John Fassel, Jake McQuaide.

https://twitter.com/GehlkenNFL/status/1371584155859959813

McQuaide has been the long snapper for the Rams since being signed as an undrafted free agent by the team in 2011. McQuaide was coached by Fassel for seven years before the coordinator joined head coach Mike McCarthy’s staff during the 2020 offseason. He made the Pro Bowl in 2016 and 2017.

Now, McQuaide will be reuniting with his former coach in Dallas as Fassel continues to bring in specialists he’s familiar with like kicker Greg Zuerlein, also a former Ram.

[listicle id=666194][lawrence-newsletter]

Ark Reactor: Cowboys bring WR Noah Brown back on 1-year deal

Noah Brown is the first signing of the 2021 free agency for Dallas, agreeing to return to the Cowboys on a one-year deal.

The NFL free agency tampering period started on Monday, with all teams now being allowed to discuss contracts with potential free agents before they can sign on Wednesday. After being quiet for most of the day, the Dallas cowboys made a move that they could have pulled off at any point since January.

After playing in all 16 games for the first time in his professional career, Cowboys are bringing back swiss-army knife WR Noah Brown to a one-year deal to try and build an ironman streak as the tough guy in the position room.

The Ohio State product was drafted by the Cowboys in 2017 with the 239th overall pick and has earned his spot on the roster as both a blocking receiver and a special teams weapon for Dallas. Brown missed the 2019 season due to a left knee surgery during the offseason and returned to the active roster in 2020.

Brown had his best year as a receiver for the Cowboys in 2020, totaling 14 catches for 154 yards during the season.  Playing alongside the likes of Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup, he attained career highs in catches and receiving yards. Known mainly for his blocking, this was a breakout year going into his first free agency in the NFL.

On special teams, Brown played 47% of the snaps, being one of the five most-used players for Dallas. Brown played a career-high in snaps in 2020 on both offense and special teams, amassing 445 total snaps during the season.

Going into the 2021 season, Brown will continue to be a large part of the special teams unit and should get more opportunities as a receiver with quarterback Dak Prescott returning from injury.

With the tender placed on RFA Cedrick Wilson earlier in the day, it appears Dallas is looking to enter 2021 with all of their 2020 weapons at Prescott and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore’s disposal.

[listicle id=666194][vertical-gallery id=665079][lawrence-newsletter]

Bears Twitter reacts to DL Roy Robertson-Harris joining Jaguars

Bears Twitter had nothing but good things to say about DL Roy Robertson-Harris getting a well-deserved pay day with the Jaguars.

The Chicago Bears have lost their first player to the free agent market as defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris has agreed to a contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Robertson-Harris is expected to sign a three-year deal worth $24.4 million with $14 million guaranteed. While Chicago is losing a key rotational player along the defensive line, it was a move that many expected to happen.

Bears Twitter had nothing but good things to say about Robertson-Harris getting a well-deserved pay day. There wasn’t any surprise that Chicago let him walk given that massive deal he landed with the Jaguars. Just praise and well wished as Robertson-Harris heads to Jacksonville.

https://twitter.com/ADannehy/status/1371539947736375296?s=20

https://twitter.com/FlowsAndolini/status/1371539794468175875?s=20

https://twitter.com/mattcarlson53/status/1371538596382044160?s=20

[listicle id=469195]

Report: Vikings have shown interest in Saints DE Trey Hendrickson

Do you want the Minnesota Vikings to sign New Orleans Saints DE Trey Hendrickson in 2021 free agency?

In Danielle Hunter’s absence, Minnesota’s pass rush was horrendous in 2020.

Now, it seems like the Vikings have interest in fixing some of the unit’s problems in free agency. According to Josina Anderson, Minnesota is among the teams interested in Saints DE Trey Hendrickson, who is a free agent this offseason.

Hendrickson broke out in 2020. He had 13.5 sacks and 33 pressures in 2020. He finished with a PFF grade of 72.1 and had a pass rush grade of 78. However, he had 4.5 sacks and 17 pressures in 2019.

Hendrickson has a small sample size of success, but if his 2020 is an indication of more to come, he would be a big get for the Vikings. DE Ifeadi Odenigbo was the only Minnesota player with more than 25 pressures in 2020, per PFF. Yannick Ngakoue, who was traded before the deadline, led the team in sacks with five.

So this is a unit that needs more than just Hunter returning to be good. Hendrickson might be worth the risk.

Legal tampering window means phone could start ringing for 21 Cowboys

Monday kicks off a 52-hour period when NFL clubs may begin negotiating with other free agents; some fan favorites could be leaving Dallas.

The legal tampering window is about to open. With the new league year about to officially begin on Wednesday afternoon, the league lets teams gets a head-start on the free agency frenzy by allowing a 52-hour chunk of time prior to that when front offices can reach out to unrestricted free agents to begin preliminary negotiations to bring them aboard.

Theoretically, the phones of at least some Cowboys players are about to start blowing up. The reality is, though, that there have almost certainly been private discussions taking place for some time.

Unrestricted free agents can legally talk through terms with new teams starting around midday on Monday. Contracts can be agreed upon conversationally, but nothing can be signed until the start of the league year on Wednesday.

The Cowboys have 17 players who will become free agents when the clock strikes 11 a.m. in Dallas:

  • DT Eli Ankou
  • CB Chidobe Awuzie
  • TE Blake Bell
  • WR Noah Brown
  • DL Tyrone Crawford
  • QB Andy Dalton
  • OT Cameron Erving
  • CB C.J. Goodwin
  • LS L.P. Ladouceur
  • LB Sean Lee
  • CB Jourdan Lewis
  • C Joe Looney
  • LB Justin March
  • OT Jordan Mills
  • DE Aldon Smith
  • LB Joe Thomas
  • S Xavier Woods

Quarterback Dak Prescott was taken off this list when he signed his record-breaking contract last week. Fullback Jamize Olawale was released the same day.

Restricted free agents and exclusive-rights free agents may negotiate with the teams currently holding their rights. If they’re not tendered by 3:59 Eastern on Wednesday afternoon, they become unrestricted and can sign with any other club. For the Cowboys, those players- all free agents of the “restricted” variety- include:

  • OT Greg Senat
  • WR Malik Turner
  • WR Cedrick Wilson
  • DT Antwaun Woods

Exclusive-rights free agent defensive end Ron’Dell Carter was re-signed by Dallas last week.

[vertical-gallery id=665118]

[listicle id=666176]

[listicle id=666194]

[lawrence-newsletter]

These Bears players are set to hit free agency this week

The Bears have plenty of in-house free agents set to hit the free agent market officially on Wednesday.

The Chicago Bears have a long offseason ahead where some pretty important decisions await them. Quite a few of those will come in regards to the roster, where there are some decisions to make regarding in-house free agents and players currently under contract.

The Bears have already re-signed several of their in-house free agents, including kicker Cairo Santos, defensive end Mario Edwards and punter Pat O’Donnell, along with five exclusive rights free agents in offensive lineman Alex Bars, inside linebacker Josh Woods, outside linebacker James Vaughters, running back Ryan Nall, and tight end J.P. Holtz.

But Chicago still has 18 unrestricted free agents, two restricted free agents and one exclusive rights free agent ahead of the legal tampering period, which opens Monday at 11 a.m. CT.

Officially, those unrestricted free agents’ contracts will expire with the Bears, and they’ll be free to sign elsewhere, on Wednesday at 3 p.m. CT.

Here’s a look at those players.

Everything you need to know about free agency and start of new league year

We’ve almost arrived to the start of the new league year, which kicks off on Wednesday at 3 p.m. CT. Here’s what you need to know.

We’ve almost arrived to the start of the new league year, which kicks off on Wednesday, March 17 at 3 p.m. CT. But before that, things are going to pick up on Monday.

Monday begins the start of the 48-hour legal tampering period, where agents of unrestricted free agents can negotiate contracts with other teams. Monday at 11 a.m. CT also marks the deadline where teams can exclusively negotiate with their own free agents.

So far, the Chicago Bears have re-signed kicker Cairo Santos, punter Pat O’Donnell, defensive end Mario Edwards, as well as five exclusive rights free agents. Chicago has also restructured the contracts of outside linebacker Khalil Mack, safety Eddie Jackson and offensive lineman Cody Whitehair to free up $23 million in cap space.

The new league year begins Wednesday at 3 p.m. CT, which is when teams need to be under the salary cap and where trades and free agency moves can be announced. This also marks the time when unrestricted free agents are officially free to sign with other clubs.

We have our live tracker up and running, which is tracking all of the cuts, re-signings, restructures and new signings from early March throughout free agency:

[listicle id=469195]

2021 Chicago Bears free agency tracker

We’re monitoring all of the cuts, re-signings, restructures and new signings from early March through free agency in this handy tracker.

NFL’s free agency officially begins Wednesday, March 17 at 3 p.m. CT, but the Chicago Bears have already been making plenty of moves in terms of cuts, contract extensions and contract restructures ahead of the start of the new league year.

With the struggles of the salary cap, which decreased league-wide to $182.5 million, the Bears have $190 million to spend following cap carryover from last season.

We’re monitoring all of the cuts, re-signings, restructures and new signings from early March through free agency, which officially kicks off Wednesday. Bears Wire is your source to track the comings and goings between now and throughout free agency. Be sure to check back for updates!

The Mitchell Trubisky era is coming to an end in Chicago

While it’s unclear who will be under center for the Bears in 2021 where we stand, we know who won’t be, and that’s Mitchell Trubisky.

[mm-video type=video id=01f0rssjfsgxvkqc9y playlist_id=01eqbve7kb6he6scwe player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01f0rssjfsgxvkqc9y/01f0rssjfsgxvkqc9y-893aeeed1a45d01bdd90026c970e7f54.jpg]

The most entertaining topic this offseason surrounding the Chicago Bears has been the quarterback position. Following less-than-stellar outings by both Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles, Chicago is looking to make a splash this offseason.

The most prominent name that’s been rumored with the Bears is Russell Wilson, who hasn’t requested a trade and who isn’t exactly on the trade block. But it’s obvious that Chicago is throwing everything they can at the Seattle Seahawks to land a franchise quarterback.

Still, that’s no guarantee, which means the Bears need to have a contingency plan. While it’s unclear who will be under center for Chicago in 2021 where we stand, we know who won’t be.

According to ESPN‘s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler, the Bears’ plan is to move on from Trubisky this offseason. While they said “the door open slightly,” they also noted “the ship has sailed” for both sides.

Here’s what we know about the Bears’ tenuous quarterback situation: They are monitoring Russell Wilson developments but have combed the free-agent market for possibilities, too. The plan is to move on from Mitchell Trubisky — we’re told the door is open slightly but a source said the ship has sailed for both parties. The source sounded happy for Trubisky to get out of Chicago after all the heat he took. Now, Trubisky could apply his own heat — perhaps in Denver as competition for Drew Lock.

As for what the Bears should do for their quarterback problem, ESPN believes Chicago should target another bridge quarterback.

Gun-for-hire Ryan Fitzpatrick could make some sense in Chicago as a one-year spark if all other options fail. Andy Dalton, too.

The only problem with that logic is that general manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy aren’t promised a job after 2021. Which is exactly why they can’t afford not to make a splash in the quarterback market this offseason.

Now whether or not that move comes via a blockbuster trade, free agency or moving up in the NFL draft remains to be seen. But it’s a safe bet that Chicago will be making a big move this offseason at quarterback.

[listicle id=468707]

Rayshawn Jenkins appears to be hinting at free agency move

The Los Angeles Chargers’ fourth-round pick of the 2017 NFL draft could be playing elsewhere next season.

With the NFL offseason in full swing, teams have already begun locking up some of their own players.

The only moves that the Chargers have made are releasing Casey Hayward and Trai Turner, but have not re-signed any of their in-house members to this point.

Los Angeles has a few notable pending free agents that the franchise will have to make a decision on. Among the crop is safety Rayshawn Jenkins, who recently hinted at not returning next season.

Jenkins went to his Twitter, where he posted a tweet that said, “Scary Hours. 2 years starting, I’m just getting started. Excited to see where we headed next,” which included a highlight tape.

After spending the beginning of his career as an outlier in the secondary, Jenkins was a key contributor at both safety spots and as the team’s dime backer, especially during the absence of Derwin James the past two seasons.

In 2019, Jenkins led the team in defensive snaps, posting a career-high in interceptions (3). In 2020, he finished second in tackles (84) while amassing four passes defended, two interceptions, and a sack.

After two consecutive seasons of strong play, Jenkins is worth being re-signed. However, the reason why he might not be back next season is because head coach Brandon Staley could be choosing to build his secondary with players that fit his scheme, hence the reason to let go of Hayward.

Only time will tell.